Melanoma is the most common fatal malignancy among young adults, and its incidence and mortality continue to increase at an alarming rate. Epidemiologic studies have clearly demonstrated roles for genetic predisposition and sun exposure in melanoma development. In the past few years, substantial information has been added to the body of evidence suggesting that inherited and somatic genetic events contribute to the pathogenesis of melanoma. This review focuses on recent advances in the understanding of the genetic events, particularly aberration of cell cycle control and transcriptional control mechanisms, implicated in the pathogenesis of melanoma.